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A self-described “bedroom DJ,” Kinyon Brinson, AKA DJ Silenze, didn’t intend to become a professional DJ when, as a young teen, he produced dub tape mixes for himself and his friends with just a dual cassette player. Even though he began to purchase real DJ equipment when the cassette player eventually proved to no longer be enough, Kinyon was still content to make dub tapes and explore new sounds in private, with little intention to perform for anyone but a handful of friends.
As he continued to experiment and try new styles and techniques, Kinyon soon realized that sharing his musical knowledge with others was what he wanted to do, after all. “There came a point in my tinkering with my equipment, buying records and exploring sounds that I felt an undeniable urge to really present the songs and what I enjoyed musically to others; then realizing I owned the right equipment to truly execute it,” Kinyon says of his revelation. “I enjoyed listening to and sharing music at a young age. There was also a trend through high school and college, making mixes and musical selections for parties, but I never fully jumped into the total role of DJ, at least in my mind. I just enjoyed presenting and introducing people to new music and styles. I guess it’s been a deep-rooted passion since youth that I didn’t know existed.”
Once he knew that sharing his favorite music with others as a professional DJ was what he wanted to do, Kinyon sought out DJ Nicky Wood, one of the most respected and well-known DJ in his area of Ithaca, New York. Nicky hired Kinyon as his roadie and assistant, and under Nicky’s guidance, Kinyon learned how to mix music and play to a live audience.
Despite the years making dub tapes and his training with Nicky Wood, Kinyon admits he was very nervous for his first solo gig. “My first gig was an hour and a half long and it still feels like it was the longest gig I’ve ever performed!” Kinyon recalls. “I was so nervous, songs seemed to train wreck and be off from what I had learned and practiced. It felt brutal. They say never let them see you sweat, but I was sweating and it showed.” But support from fellow DJ’s in attendance and audience members gave him the courage to continue with his set.
“I remember feeling defeated in the middle of my set when a local DJ and good friend came out to support my set and stopped by the booth,” Kinyon says. “I gave him a look like a boxer uncertain if I could go on and he looked at me like a trainer and said, ‘You’re doing fine, it sounds good and people are out there dancing. You keep going!’ I kept going until my mentor came to begin his set. I took a seat and felt exhausted. I asked my friend how I did, at which time a woman who had been dancing on stage came down and over to our roped off area. She waved behind the ropes to me and gave me the thumbs-up. My friend said, there’s your answer, and it felt good!”
Since that first gig, Kinyon estimates he’s done about 200 gigs in and around his area of Syracuse and central New York state – including one for over 2,000 people as an opening act and between-sets DJ for an emo band – and says he divides his time between DJing and producing, although the amount of time he devotes to each is not always equal. “At times my production creativity side takes over for months at a time, making for DJ down time and vice-versa,” Kinyon says. “It’s sometimes difficult for me to balance both evenly.”
In the eight years he’s been a DJ, Kinyon has developed a personal style that he describes as a “laid-back funkiness” that he mixes multiple musical genres to create. “I’m all about searching for the smoothest transitions and subtle mixes that sound great to the everyday listener, yet speak volumes to the deeper music lovers,” he says. Despite having this distinct style, Kinyon has no problem utilizing whatever other genres and styles appeal to his audience.
“I think what sets me apart from other DJs is my ability to think outside the box and cater to my dance floor consistently with what they need to let loose!” Kinyon says. “I’m not afraid to step outside my musical safe zones and allow the dance floor to introduce ME to something new. I believe that is where I shine and those are moments most DJs won’t let take place during their sets.”
While Kinyon loves performing for a dance floor full of people, he says his favorite type of performance actually does not include a dance floor. “I like performing on an off night or for a non-dance floor crowd,” he says. “This allows me to test different styles, songs and ideas with an audience of strictly listeners. Sometimes I surprise them and myself, creating a dance floor when there normally wouldn’t be one.” He also donates his time and skills to charities and causes, such as his local Relay for Life event, to raise money for cancer research. “It was a very touching event for me, having lost family to cancer myself,” Kinyon says. “I was happy to be a part of such a great cause.”
Like most veteran DJs, Kinyon has had experiences that may not have seemed funny at the time, but that he can look back on and laugh about years later. One such moment came while working his first gig as a roadie and request taker with his mentor. “He called me over to the turntables and told me he would choose the records and that I was going to mix them live,” Kinyon recalls. “Right before us grooved a dance floor of 200-plus people. We were in the prime time of his set when he passed over his headphones to me. While he turned to search his crates for the next song, maybe it was nerves, but I managed to snap his headphones in two! He then sent me through the club looking for duct tape. Once I fixed the headphones I did perform well with the sink-or-swim lesson he challenged me with!”
Kinyon has come a long way since his dual-cassette deck dub-taping days, and currently has a well-stocked arsenal of professional DJ equipment that helps him bring his musical style to dance floor crowds on a regular basis. He has an insatiable desire to learn about new equipment and techniques, and his recent visit to ADJ’s booth at the DJ Expo taught him much about lighting. “I’m fairly new to mobile DJing and lighting, but with ADJ’s DJ Expo 2012 booth I learned a fair amount about lights and will be starting small – yet big – with a set of Mega Par Profiles,” Kinyon says. “With the newest addition of lights to my setup I’m looking to upgrade equipment in all areas this year.”
For all the “bedroom DJs” out there and anyone who has a passion for music, Kinyon has the following advice: “Look into DJing as a hobby, career or musical outlet. I believe those who are in love with music first and the limelight is a distant afterthought, have the potential to be some of the most amazing and influential DJs. These DJs are always welcome!”
To learn more about DJ Silenze follow the links below.
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/DJSilenze
Interested in appearing in Meet The DJ? Send your story to our editor, Jennifer Ramirez (jramirez@fucinipro.com). |
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